Collapsible clothes support



P 1970 F. R. BARBEE 3,507,402

COLLAPSIBLE CLOTHES SUPPORT Filed Nov. 2, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVE/Vfuii. FLOYD R. BARBEE F|G.I BY wica AGENT April 21, 1970 F. R. BARBEE 3,507,402

COLLAPSIBLE CLOTHES SUPPORT Filed Nov. 2, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet. 2

FIG.I2 28 I in INWi-K 'TL'P FLOYD R. BARBEE AGENT FlG.-l6

United States Patent 3,507,402 COLLAPSIBLE CLOTHES SUPPORT Floyd R. Barbee, San Gabriel, Calif, assignor of one-half to Alexander Ruiz, Los Angeles, Calif. Filed Nov. 2, 1967, Ser. No. 680,099 Int. Cl. A47f /13 US. Cl. 211-178 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention describes a collapsible clothes support having extensible support means articulatably disposed on a vertical post extending from a quinary base, the post being lockable into the vertical position with the support being rigid and extending from the end thereof, and said support including a telescoping extension, and said post and support being foldable with said quinary base into a readily storable assembly of thin contour, the quinary base including a separable roller assembly.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The collapsible clothes support herein disclosed is an improvement over and includes added features over the present inventors US. Patent No. 2,677,518 issued to him jointly with R. E. Happy on May 4, 1954, entitled Clothes Support, and over the US. patent by the same title No. 3,071,253 issued Jan. 1, 1963 to F. J. Walsh and R. H. Dunbar, assignors to Cal-Dak Company of San Gabriel, Calif, a California corporation, exclusive licensees of Barbee and Happy under said Patent No. 2,677,518. This present invention is a further improvement over design Patent No. 186,517 entitled Clothes Support granted to said Walsh and Dunbar, as assignors to said Cal-Dak Company on Nov. 3, 1959. The Walsh- Dunbar patents incorporate certain features of the Happy- Barbee patent.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention incorporates a novel quinary (five sided) base with a novel separable wheeled tripod therefor, a new and extensible post extending from the center of one of the quinary sides of the base, articulatable thereon, and including novel lockable support means articulating with said post and said base between a collapsed and use configuration of the clothes support. The new clothes support includes a different supporting bar configuration from the prior art configuration in that the position thereof permits inclusion of a telescoping section therein for increased clothes capacity, not possible with the prior art due to the prior art configuration of the support bar with respect to the vertical post.

The present invention furthermore includes more positive and secure locking means on the vertical post rising from the quinary base, both for the locking of the post into the vertical position and for permitting vertical extension of the post and locking it into any extended position. The articulation and bayonet latching of the new extensible support bar on the vertical post includes a novel right angle groove and pin configuration such that in the use position of the clothes support, according to this invention, the extensible portion of the horizontal clothes support bar forms a T with the vertical post and the support bar.

It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to provide a new clothes support assembly collapsible into a very thin configuration for storage and erectable and lockable into a use configuration .wherein clothes may be hung therein.

It is a further object to provide a collapsible clothes support assembly with selectively adjustable and lockable 3,507,402 Patented Apr. 21, 1970 vertical positioning means for the clothes hanging means thereof and being selectively usable for moving about with a separable tri-wheeled assembly on a quinary base means, or being stationary on said quinary base.

The above and other objects of the invention will be more fully understandable from the specifications which follow, taken together with the accompanying illustrations and the appended claims. The illustrations show a preferred embodiment of the invention but should not be construed as limiting the invention to the disclosed forms thereof, since those skilled in the arts appertaining thereto will be able to devise other forms thereof in the light of the teachings herein within the ambit of the claims which follow the specification.

In the figures:

FIGURE 1 is a fully extended view of the clothes support of this invention showing in phantom several alternative positions thereof;

FIGURE 2 is a collapsed side elevational view of the invention showing also an alternative form of base roller mechanism;

FIGURE 3 is a detail of the bayonet lock, one of the features of the invention to hold the horizontal clothes bar in place, shown in its open or use position;

FIGURE 4 is a further detail of the portion of the invention shown in FIGURE 3 showing the collapsed position thereof with disappearing loop for hanging the complete unit on a hook;

FIGURE 5 is a detail through 5-5 of FIGURE 3 showing in phantom a clothes hanger thereon;

FIGURE 6 is a detailed illustration of the separable roller base for the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 7 is a detail of the vertical post of the invention showing the support and locking device locked in its use position;

FIGURE 8 is a detail of the same components as those shown in FIGURE 7 to illustrate an intermediate position thereof between the use and collapsed configuration of the invention;

FIGURE 9 is a cross-section through 99 of FIG- URE 8;

FIGURE 10 is a detail of an alternative form of lock for the articulating elements shown in FIGURES 7 and 8;

FIGURE 11 is a cross-section through 11-11 of FIG- URE 10;

FIGURE 12 is a detail of the vertical part of the invention, in partially cutaway form, showing the locking means for the telescoping extensible portion thereof;

FIGURE 13 is a cross-section through 1313 of FIG- URE 12;

FIGURE 14 is a view of the same components of FIG- URE 12 shown rotated counter-clockwise through to illustrate a detail of the locking mechanism thereof;

FIGURE 15 is a detail of the fitting base part of the invention; and

FIGURE 16 is a top plan view of the invention in its collapsed form.

SPECIFICATION Referring to the figures generally and particularly to FIGURE 1, the collapsible clothes support of this invention can be seen to comprise a pentagonal or quinary base which may include wheels at each corner, such as 11-15, or which may be snapped into place upon a three-wheeled Y shaped supporting frame 16, such as shown in FIG- URE 6. The frame 16 has been shown in dashed line beneath base 10. In the center of one of the sides 17 of the pentagonal base 10 there is a split hinge 18, as shown in FIGURE 15 in exploded form, to permit an extensible vertical post 19 to be raised and articulated thereon. The two parts 20, 21 of the hinge 18 fit into the bottom of post 19 when hinge 18 is assembled together. Into the tubular ends 22, 23 of the split side 17 of base 10, the ends 24, 25 of split hinge 18 are inserted when it is assembled together.

Hinge 18 assembled into side 17, as shown, rotates therein to permit extensible post 19 to be collapsed against base frame 10 as more fully described below and shown in FIGURES 2, 8, and 16.

Extensible vertical post 19 has a lower post portion 27 into the bottom end of which split hinge portions 20, 21 fits as previously described and into the top portion a post 28, of smaller diameter than post 27, fits slidably. A grip latch 30, shown in detail in FIGURES 12, 13 and 14 is arranged to tightly hold the upper end 29 of outer post 27 about inner post 28 when post 28 is extended out of post 27.

Grip latch 30 can be seen to operate on the principle of squeezing the split upper portion of post 27, as may be seen at 34, when lever 32 is pressed downward. It can be seen that lever 32 is pivotally mounted on an axle 33 to the Wing extension 35, 36 of a collar 31 about the upper end 29 of post 27. The shape and contour of the split end 37 of lever 32 is such that downward motion thereof on wings 35, 36 presses the wings together, thus squeezing collar 31 against the end 29 of post 27 which is split as at 34 so as to press against inner post 28 to hold it by friction tightly to whatever length it has been pulled out of post 27.

At the top end of inner post 28 is a bayonet locking hinge 40, shown in detail in FIGURES 3 and 4. Hinge 40 is wrapped about and welded to, or otherwise attached to, one end of a hanger arm 50 with the ends 41, 42 extending downward helmet like.

The helmet-like ends are bayonet notched as at 43, 44 and slotted as at 4'5, 46. A pair of rivet pins 47, 48 are extended through post 28 and the helmet-like ends 41, 42 of bayonet hinge 40. Hinge 40 articulates and slides a limited distance laterally on pin 48 through slots 45, 46 so that hanger arm 50 may be rested fiat against post assembly 27, 28, as shown in FIGURE 4 in detail and also in FIGURES 2 and 16. When hinge 40 is lifted to the position ahown in FIGURE 3, where arm 50 is perpendicular to post 28, the bayonet notches 43, 44 catch upon and engage pin 47 and the arm 50 is locked into the horizontal position. To return arm 50' to the collapsed position the arm is lifted so that notches 43, 44 of hinge 40 lift out of pin 47 and upward by slot 45 on pin 48 so as to be free of pin 47 and may then be rotated on pin 48 to the position of arm 50 parallel with post 27, 28.

Referring now again to FIGURE 1, wherein base 10 is shown with its articulating coupling hinge 18 to post assembly 19, a fixed collar 51 is shown engaging post 27 along with a clip 52 somewhat lower therein. Articulating by one end thereof in collar 51 is a bar 53. At the other end 54 of bar 53 a V-shaped wire guide 56 is articulated by the apex 55 thereof. At the open ends 57, 58 of V-shaped wire guide 56, are right angle bends extending outwardly into the opposite sides 60, 61 of base 10, adjacent side 17. The right angle bends 57, 58 are inserted into holes 62, 63 in respective inner sides 60, 61 of base 10.

In the open portion of the clothes support, as shown in FIGURE 1, the V-shaped wire guide 56 and bar 53 combines to act as support gussets to give the support greater rigidity.

In FIGURE 4 is shown a loop 70 extending out of the top of post 28. This is for hanging the assembly of the collapsible clothes hanger in its collapsed condition from a hook in a closet or the like. This loop 70 is slidable in post 28 but is prevented from dropping below by rivet pin 47 and from pulling out by rivet pin 48 on which the weight of the hanger is supported.

In FIGURE there is shown a section through 5--5 (FIGURE 3) of the hanger arm 50 taken through one of the indentations 71 therein, designed to support without slippage the hook 72 (dashed line) of a clothes hanger hung thereover.

In FIGURE 6 there is shown a dolly 16 comprising a Y-frame 73 at the end of each of the three (3) limbs 74-76 of which is rotatably attached a caster 77, 78, 79. Above or near each caster is a clip 80, 81, 82. The clips engage the five (5) sided base 10 as shown in FIGURE 1 as an alternative to directly inserted casters in base 10. When the Y-shaped dolly 16 is attached to base 10 it forms a triangular support thereunder.

It should be noted that clip 52, as shown in FIGURES 7, 8, 9, is attached to bar 53 so that when wire 56 and bar 53 are in the open position of the collapsible clothes rack or hanger assembly the clip 52 engages the post 27. Alternatively, clip 52, shown in FIGURES 10 and 11 is attached to post 27 and Will receive bar 53 in the open portion of the assembly. This will operate equally efii ciently in either case.

Referring now again to FIGURE 1, a concealed extension may be seen to extend from within hanger bar 50, which is hollow. Extension 90 telescopes into bar 50 so that it may be extended as desired to increase the capacity of the assembly.

The operation of the improved collapsible clothes support or hanger assembly is clearly illustrated in the several figures. In FIGURE 1 the support assembly is fully opened with the bar 50 shown to indicate that bar 50 may be raised or lowered on post 28 as post 28 is lifted out of post 27. Post 28 may be locked to any position with grip latch assembly 31, 32, etc., as shown in detail in FIGURES 12, 13,, 14. Extension 90 of bar 50 may be moved to any desired position to increase hanger capacity. The quinary (5 sided) base 10 may be used without wheels or with five (5) wheels, -99, inserted at the 5 apices of the 5 sided base 10. If used without wheels, a three-wheeled dolly 16 (FIGURE 6) may be used to which base 10 may be attached by the clips 80, 81, 82 on dolly 16.

When the support assembly is not used it is collapsed as shown in FIGURE 2 (side view) and FIGURE 16 (plan view) by lowering post 28 into post 27, lifting triangular wire and bar 53 as shown by arrows -102 in FIGURE 8. Base 10 will articulate on the split T assembly 18 of FIGURES 15 and 16 to the collapsed position of FIGURES 2 and 16. Bar 53 articulates on a pivot 51 clamped to post 27.

Hanger bar 50 is lifted so that notch 43 in bayonet lock 40 clears pin 47 (FIGURES 3 and 4) and is articulated on pin 48 via slot 45 to the position of bar 50 parallel with post assembly 19, as shown in FIGURE 16. It should be noted that grooves 46 about split-T assembly 18 engage corresponding grooves 46 about bar 17 of base 10 to hold the assembly together and acts as guides for the rotation of base 10 in the collapsing and opening of the support assembly.

The particular advantage of the quinary base 10 of this invention is the increased base Width between the apices in which wheels 11-15 are shown in FIGURE 1. This permits heavier loads on bar 50 to be supported at greater height with greater stability. The center of gravity can never be outside the base. Additionally, the length of telescoping extension 90 in bar 50 can be limited to a value such that there can never be a tendency for the perpendicular to the center of gravity of the clothes support assembly, when loaded, to fall outside the base 10.

What is claimed as new is:

1. Collapsible clothes support comprising:

a quinary base means;

an extensible vertical post means articulating by one end thereof from the center of one side of said quinary base, the other end of said extensible post means having a pivot pin therethrough and a bayonet locking pin above said pivot pin, a bayonet clamp articu latingly mounted and slidable on said pivot pin, said clamp having bayonet notches cut therein so as to be engageable with said locking pin in one position of said clamp and disengageable from said pin by sliding said clamp on said pivot to a second position in which said clamp articulates on said pivot pin between said one and second positions; and

a hanger bar disposed by one end in said bayonet clamp, said clamp being wrapped downwardly about said bar to engage said pivot pin to permit downward articulation of said hanger bar to said second position, said hanger bar including notches uniformly spaced in the top surface thereof to receive clothes hanger hooks.

2. In a collapsible clothes support a quinary base means including a V-shaped wire, the open ends of which are adapted to rotatably fit into the inner surfaces of the opposite sides of said quinary base extending from the side of said base; which an extensible vertical post articulatingly mounted by one end thereof to the center of one side of said quinary base, the apex of said V-shaped wire engaging one end of a bar which is articulated by its other end in a pivot clamped to said vertical post, so that said base may be lifted to a position parallel with said post articulating on said one side of said base and said V- shaped wire may act together with said bar in the open position of said clothes support to act as a gusset between said vertical post and said quinary base to give the support greater rigidity.

3. In a collapsible clothes support:

a quinary base;

an extensible telescoping vertical support post extending from the center of one side of said base, said support post including grip latch means to lock said post into any extended position thereof, said post including a disappearing ring for hanging the support assembly in its collapsed position;

a hanger bar articulatingly attached by bayonet latching means to said vertical post, said hanger bar including a telescoping extension therein to increase the hanger capacity thereof; and

foldable V-wire and bar means engaging said base and said vertical support post and including grasp lock means to hold said bar means to said post in the open position of said support,

whereby said hanger bar may be folded against said post and said base folded against said post, the V- wire and bar means maintaining said folded position, said disappearing ring permitting said collapsed support assembly to be hung in a closet when not in use.

4. A collapsible clothes support comprising:

a five-sided base;

a vertical post articulatingly mounted at the center of one of the five sides of said base;

a grasp lock on the end of said vertical post remote from the articulative mounting thereof;

a secondary vertical post slidable within said vertical post and lockable to a slidable position by said grasp lock;

a bayonet latch on the open end of said secondary vertical post;

a hanger bar articulatively attached to said open end of said secondary vertical post and engageable with said bayonet latch to be positioned fixedly in a horizontal position perpendicular to said vertical and said secondary vertical post; and

a collapsible support mechanism including a bar articulatingly engaged by one end thereof to said vertical post, and a V-shaped wire having the open-ends thereof pivotally engaged in opposite inner sides of said five-sided base and the apex of said V-wire pivotally engaged in the other end of said bar also engaging said vertical post and having a first position of said V-wire and said bar lockable to support said vertical post perpendicular to said five-sided base and a second position of said V-wire and said bar in which said base and said vertical post fold against one another parallel.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 244,163 7/1881 Arndt 28079.2

993,154 5/1911 Dailey 211-178 1,510,272 9/ 1924 Harmount 211-178 2,645,358 7/1953 Moore et al. 211-118 2,772,889 12/1956 Reynolds 28035 3,023,019 2/1962 Angelo 28035 3,026,079 3/1962 Stack 248 3,032,273 5/ 1962 Spielman 211l05.3 3,043,440 7/1962 Berlin 211178 3,071,253 1/1963 Walsh et al. 211178 3,076,557 2/1963 Husted et al. 211178 MARION PARSONS, JR., Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 248125; 28035 

